Control mechanism for electrically driven apparatus



J. M. EITEL Feb. 3, 1953 CONTROL MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Aug. 1, 1949 INVENTOR. Jay M. Eife/ ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 3, 1953 iJNlTED STATES tATENT OFFlCE ooN'rRor. MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN APPARATUS Jay M. Eitel, L05 Altos, Calif. Application August 1, 1949', Serial No. 108,007

7 Claims. 1

My invention relates to an improved mechanism for manually controlling electrically driven apparatus, and also relates to such control mechanism in conjunction with workmans lift apparatus such as disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 71,349, filed January 1'7, 1949, now abandoned.

It is among the objectsof my invention to provide a simple control mechanism for selectively actuating a plurality of switches by a singlebperating lever.

Another object is to provide a mechanism of the character described in which the motions of the operating lever maybe related to the motions of the apparatus being controlled.

A further object is to provide a workmans lift apparatus having a work station mounted for universal movement to any desiredelevated position, and incorporating improved mechanism so that the workman can control his position with- L out leaving the work station.

A still further object is to provide such a control mechanism having an operating lever with universal motions corresponding to the universal motions of thework station of the lift apparatus being controlled.

The invention possesses other objects and fea-- ture of advantage, some of which, with the fore going, will be set forth in the following description of my invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to this disclosure of species of my invention as I may adopt variant embodiments thereof within the scope of the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of lift apthe lever, and means on the lever for selectively actuating one or more of the switches upon tilting of the lever. The operating lever is also pref erably axially extensible with mea'ns provided for actuating additional switches upon axialmovement of the lever; The several switches of the ill 2v mechanism are connected with devices such as motors of the electrically driven apparatus to be controlled. Thus, in a workmans lift apparatus having a work station on the end of an extensible boom rotatably mounted for turning movement about a vertical axis and swinging movement about a horizontal axis, the improved control mechanism is located at the work station and the switches are connected to the boom drive motors so that sidewise tilting motions of the operating lever turn the boom clockwise or counterclockwise, vertical motions of the lever swing the boom up or down, and forward or back tilting motions of the lever extend or retract the paratus are controlled by separate switches at the work station. That arrangement is entirely practical but it is somewhat difficult for a work-' man to learn. to operate the apparatus because the manipulation of the separate switches is not directly related to the motions of the Work station. This problem is overcome with my pres ent improvements.

The lift apparatus comprises a vehicular mount 5 having a bed 2 and wheels 3 and 4. This vehiole may be a trailer having a tongue 6 for distance traveling, although separate means are also preferably provided for driving and steering the mount about a local area; A Work station E is carried on the outer end of a boom 8 which projects from the mount .l, the work station being preferably a cage pivotally suspended from the boom.

Boom 8 is rotatably supported on the mount for turning about a vertical axis, as by a hollow column 9 journalled by rollers ll about a post projecting from the bed of the mount. The boom is turned about the vertical axis by'a reversible motor 12 drivably connected tov column 9 by suitable gearing 13. 30cm 8 may thus be turned either clockwiseor counterclockwise depending upon the direction of rotation of motor The boom is also rotatably supported for swinging' movement about a horizontal axis, as by a pivot pin I4 on the top of column s. A suitable acterdisclosed, means arealso preferably provided for driving and steering the vehicular mount 2, which means is controllable at the elevated work station '5 so that the workman can shift the position of the mount about a local area. A motor driven transmission 61 is arranged to drive the rear wheels, and a motor driven steering mechanism 68 is provided for guiding the front wheels. The control device for the reversible motors of the drive and steering mechanisms is preferably similar to that above described for the boom. For example, the switches 43 and 49 may be employed for driving the vehicle forwardly or in reverse, while the switches 53 and 54 may be employed for turning the vehicle to the right or to the left. In this case the vertical switches would not be required and the control mechanism would therefore be of more simplified construction.

While my control mechanism is particularly well adapted and highly useful in the control of the lift apparatus herein described, it is understood that the improved mechanism may be used for controlling a wide variety of electrically driven apparatus.

I claim:

1. An electric control mechanism comprising a frame, an operating lever projecting vertically from the frame, a universal joint connecting the lower end of the lever to the frame, a plurality of push button switches disposed horizontally about the lever, an actuating plate mounted transversely on the lever adjacent the switches for selectively engaging one or more or the push buttons upon tilting of the operating lever, said lever having an axially slidable section, a push button switch carried by the lever. and an actuating finger on the movable section for engaging the push button of the last mentioned switch upon axial movement of said section.

2. An electric control mechanism comprising a frame, an operating lever projecting vertically from the frame, a universal joint connecting the lower end or the lever to the frame, a plurality of push button switches disposed horizontally about the lever, an actuating plate mounted transversely on the lever adjacent the switches for selectively engaging one or more of the push buttons upon tilting of the operating lever, said lever having an axially slidable section, a pair of push button switches carried by and spaced vertically on the lever, and an actuating finger on the movable section for engaging the push button of one or the other of the last mentioned switches upon axial movement of said section.

3. An electric control mechanism comprising a frame, an operating lever projecting vertically from the frame, a universal joint connecting the lower end of the lever to the frame, a plurality of push button switches disposed horizontally about the lever, an actuating plate mounted transversely on the lever adjacent the switches for selectively engaging one or more of the push buttons upon tilting of the operating lever, said lever having an axially slidable section, a pair of push button switches carried by and spaced vertically on the lever, an actuating finger on the movable section for engaging the push button of one or the other of the last mentioned switches upon axial movement of said section, and resilient means for normally maintaining said lever in vertical position and for normally holding said slidable section against axial movement.

4. An electric control mechanism comprisin a frame, an operating leverprojecting vertically from the frame, a universal joint connecting the lower end of the lever to the frame, a plurality of push button switches disposed horizontally about the lever, an actuating plate mounted transversely on the lever adjacent the switches for selectively engaging one or more of the push buttons upon tilting of the operating lever, said lever having an axially slidable section, a pair of push button switches carried by and spaced vertically on the lever, an actuating finger on the movable section for engaging the push outton of one or the other of the last mentioned switches upon axial movement of said section, and resilient means for normally maintaining said lever in vertical position and for normally holding said slidable section against axial movement, said last mentioned means comprising a spiral spring encircling the lever with its smaller end fastened to the slidable section and its larger end fastened to said frame.

5. An electric control mechanism comprising a frame, an operating lever projecting vertically from the frame, a universal joint having two crosswise pivot axes connecting the lower end of the lever to the frame, a pair of push button switches disposed on opposite sides of the lever across one pivot axis, another pair of push button switches disposed on opposite sides of the lever across the other pivot axis, and an actuating plate mounted transversely on the lever adjacent the switches, whereby said plate is selectively engageable with one or the other of the push buttons of either pair of said switches upon tilting of the operating lever about one or the other of its pixot axes, and whereby said plate is simultaneously engageable with the push button of two adjacent switches of either pair upon tilting of the operating lever simultaneously about both of its axes.

6. An electric control mechanism comprising a frame, an operating lever projecting vertically from the frame, a universal joint having two crosswise pivot axes connecting the lower end of the lever to the frame, a pair of push button switches disposed on opposite sides of the lever across one pivot axis, another pair of push button switches disposed on opposite sides of the lever across the other pivot axis, an actuating plate mounted transversely on the lever adjacent the switches, whereby said plate is selectively engageable with one or the other of the push buttons of either pair of said switches upon tilting of the operating lever about one or the other of its pivot axes, and whereby said plate is simultaneously engageable with the push buttons of two adjacent switches of either pair upon tilting of the operating lever simultaneously about both of its axes, and resilient means for normally maintaining said lever in vertical position.

7. An electric control mechanism comprising a frame, an operating lever projecting vertically from the frame, said operating lever comprising two telescoping sections, a universal joint connecting the lower end of the lower section of the lever to the frame, a plurality of switches disposed in a horizontal series about the lever, an actuating plate carried by and centered upon the lever adjacent the switches for selectively engaging one or more of the switches upon tilting of the operating lever, a pair of switches carried by and spaced vertically upon the lower section of the telescoping lever, and an actuating finger on the relatively movable telescoping upper section of the lever for engaging one or the other of said Number Name Date last mentioned switches upon axial telescoping 1,501,145 Strauss July 15, 1924 movement of the sections of the lever. 1,686,850 French Oct. 9, 1928 JAY M. EITEL, 1,835,132 Anania Dec. 8, 1931 5 2,376,875 Honig May 29, 1945 REFERENCES CITED 2,391,881 Clay Jan, 1, 1946 The following references are of record in the 2,397,973 rP9411115 p 9, 1945 m of thi patent: 2,45 ,1 2 Miller Sept. 28, 194

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 FOREIGN PA'IEN'IS Number Name D t Number Country Date 1,014,063 Irby Jan. 9, 1912 67,674 Great Britain Mar. 24, 1927 Feb. 3, 1953 C. S. GRIMSHAW REFRIGERATOR CONTROL 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 6 /7/5 J x 1 22 it 51345 Inventor:

Charles S. Gr-imshaw,

ain.

His Attorneg- 

